Watching Reaping with Sorrow - REBOOTED
by Hollow609
Summary: It's back...in...wait not in black? Okay... Basically it's round 2, I'm giving this another shot so hopefully things will be better this time around. Sparky has given me permission which means I can't get sued and I get half the profit...okay now go read.


Hollow sighed as he stared at the many unconscious people in his living room before he sent a few back leaving teams RWBY, JNPR as well as an unconscious Reaper/Gabriel Reyes, Widowmaker/Amelie Lacroix, Sombra/Olivia Colomar, Doomfist/Akande Ogundimu and Moira/Moira O'Deorain.

"How did you rope me into this again?" Hollow asked Sparky who simply placed a wad of money in Hollow's pocket before he teleported away in the form of a thunderbolt.

"Now I remember." Hollow groaned before he snapped his fingers and the formerly unconscious people, awoke.

"Now before you start fighting-that means no shotgun battles," Hollow told Yang and Gabe who were raising their shotguns/shotgun gauntlets, "I have something to show you lot." He pointed at the TV as the words…

 **\- Reaping with Sorrow: Reboot -**

Appeared on the screen.

"Well I got nothing better to do. That and it sounds like a good show." Yang said as she snagged the neared couch and her friends and sister sighed. There was no changing Yang's mind when it came tom something. Team Talon eyed each other before they all took their own seats. In the end, Ren and Nora sat on the floor, though Nora was using Ren's lap as a cushion while Jaune and Pyrrha shared a couch. Team RWBY had all gotten comfortable on a single couch which Hollow had to expand a bit so they had room. Olivia was sitting on the floor on a cushion with a packet of Doritos in her lap. Gabe got comfortable though he didn't remove his mask, ignoring the looks he received from teams RWBY and JNPR. Akande removed his gauntlet and sat down after giving Hollow a glare which clearly said 'Pick-up-the-gauntlet-and-die'. Moira and Amelie simply sat in a set of armchairs, both looking like they wanted to be anywhere but here. Hollow snapped his fingers and time froze before he looked at the readers.

"Alright hey guys, it's good to be back even though I've been writing/posting other stories. Anyway, so like with Sparky and his reboot of Reaping with Sorrow, I'm making a reboot of watching Reaping with Sorrow. So, I wiped minds, kicked out those who were not needed and brought in those who were. In any case enjoy." Hollow then clapped his hands and time unfroze as the author took a seat and began the series.

 _ **Prologue part one: The empathy of an old reaper**_

Everyone in Talon looked at Gabe who ignored them, keeping his attention on the screen. Teams RWBY and JNPR glanced at each other before they also returned their attention to the screen.

 **There was a silence that flooded the log cabin which the shrouded man relished in. The cool spring breeze contrasted the autumn glow that reverberated all around him. It was one of the reasons why he loved the Forever Fall so much. While the Grimm kept him from being bored, it was the consistency within the forest that kept him there with his cabin.**

"That looks…comfortable." Weiss said hesitantly.

"Not everyone's rich like you Ice Queen." Olivia snarked having already hacked into Hollow's Wi-Fi and therefore granting her access to the internet…said internet allowing her to get a lot of information…well the information that Hollow secretly allowed her to see.

 **The man sat within the confinements of his cabin as he read one of the countless books that were stacked all around his small study while the record player he had occupied the silence with fortuitous music. A smile grew upon his lips as he relished in his daily accomplishments. He got enough firewood for the next few days, his crops in his garden were ripe for picking later, he had stopped by the one of the nearby settlements that had the generator fuel he would usually buy, hunting was never an issue for him, and his cells were absent of any tingling sensation he would get when Grimm were present. Along with his book about the biology of Grimm, the soft classic rock that came from his record player he kept throughout the years, and the stillness of the forest, it was needless to say that he was at his own pinnacle of relaxation.**

"He ain't doing so bad." Yang pointed out, her friends nodded in agreement. Considering the fact, the man lived in Forever Fall he was doing pretty well. The members of team Talon were in silent agreement.

 **A loud banging at his front door was the cause of his creased brow and confused frown. His irritation grew with every knock that followed after the sudden cacophony that destroyed his tranquility and he decided to satisfy the ones that were disturbing him. The man closed his book that he had just gotten into and reluctantly headed towards the door, not before removing the needle from the rotating record. With a sigh, he creaked his front door only a few inches to see who it was.**

Blake raised an eyebrow at this. Who would come all the way out to Forever Fall just to knock on the door of the man's house. An even better question would be how they found the house. The Faunus decided to simply watch and wait.

 **"Couple of kids?" he mumbled as he made sure his beanie wasn't tilted too much to one side. He continued to look through the small space and noticed that something was off with the three that were outside his cabin. The girl with the mint-green hair and dark skin looked paranoid to an extent while the other silver head boy was irritated to say the least. The man guessed the dirt messed with the kid's mechanical legs that made a rather loud wiring noise even though they were covered by his pants. The one who bothered him slightly was the one in the middle. She was still as the forest, but her indignant smirk only made the man uneasy. Her raven black hair along with her amber eyes and red dress were a few details that made him raise an eyebrow. All three of them were out of their element and it began to puzzle the man.**

"Aren't they those kids from Haven you met in the corridor?" Yang asked Ruby and Hollow winced. So maybe the mind-wipe had worked too well.

 **"Probably looking for directions home." he said to himself as he let out a breath of reassurance and opened the door all the way. The two behind the girl in the center were slightly alarmed at his presence, but the amber eyed girl's smirk only grew ever so slightly. The man narrowed his eyes at her and proceeded to put his hands on his hips. "How can I help you three?" he asked with a genuine attitude but made it clear that he wasn't pleased with their presence. "You lost?" he added which caused the mint haired girl and the kid with the prosthetic legs to look at one another for an answer.**

"Lost." Amelie deadpanned as she tried to quell her minor headache. It was obvious that the three were not lost.

 **"We were actually just on the way back to Vale." the leader said as she gestured to her subordinates. "This is Emerald, Mercury," she then placed a hand on her chest. "and I'm Cinder." She then gestured to the man who stood at the threshold of the door. "And you are?" the man folded his arms at her question and narrowed his eyes.**

"Oh, yeah it is those kids!" Ruby exclaimed as she clicked her finger, remembering the three.

 **"What does it matter to you?" he asked with slight aggression. His sneer was off putting to Mercury and Emerald, but Cinder remained stagnant.**

 **"Well besides being polite," she said as she folded her arms as well and took a few steps towards the man. "We are actually looking for someone who was said to be in the area." the man gritted his teeth as she began to pace back and forth in front of him. "Does the name Gabriel Reyes ring a bell?" as she said this, the man's grip on his arms tightened just enough for Cinder to notice. There was a silence that rested amongst them for a few moments before the man let out a slight chuckle.**

"Gabe? Is that you?!" Olivia asked Gabe, though the reaper didn't answer though his hands curled into fists.

 **"I take it she sent you?" he asked and his sudden question only earned a slow nod from Cinder. "Not surprising. She always sends her lapdogs first." the man said as he nodded towards Emerald and Mercury, who were not pleased that they were labeled as such.**

 **"You wanna repeat that old ma-!" Mercury stopped in his tracks as Cinder put her hand up to stop her subordinate. The man smirked at this show of power and decided to step towards his three guests.**

"Burned." Yang muttered, happy to see Mercury react angrily. She didn't like the grey haired student for some reason and she'd only met him once.

 **"I can assure you Mr. Reyes," this caused Gabriel to stop in his tracks as Cinder raised one of her hands towards him with a small bundle of fire that rested in her palm. "Your accusations couldn't be farther from the truth." Gabriel sighed slightly as he looked at the fire that brimmed from her palm along with one of her eyes. "And to answer your question," the fire that outlined her eye faded from existence. "She did send us. But not with ill intent. In fact, with a proposit-!"**

 **"Forget it." Reyes said as he turned his back to Cinder and began to head back to his cabin. "If she wants to go on another warpath again, then she can do it without me." he was inches from the door when he felt a surge of heat pass through his being. Gabriel let out a sigh as he slowly turned back to see Cinder's flames grow. Her fire flickered with malice and the satisfied grin on her face only cemented her intentions. "So be it." Gabriel whispered to himself as he exhaled with a quivered jaw.**

"Wah wah." Olivia said as she knew what Gabe was about to do. She didn't feel sorry for the three others, not one bit.

 **In an instant, smoke erupted from Gabriel that darted towards his three intruders. Cinder's flames were snuffed by a black smoke in an instant as it twisted at a rapid pace. Before Cinder, Emerald, or Mercury, could comprehend was happening, a gaping sensation attacked their lungs as the black cyclone that surrounded them sped up. The need for oxygen could be seen in Emerald and Mercury, but Cinder had a look of raw surprise on her face. Her wide eyes were aimed at the pair of crimson orbs that pierced through the darkness with a mirth that she couldn't comprehend.**

"Uno no jode con Gabe y espera vivir." Olivia stated and Gabe chuckled.

"Esto es verdad." Gabe agreed while Akanda chuckled at the two. They acted so much like a father and daughter that it was a wonder they hadn't even realised it themselves..

 **Just before any of them could pass out, the smoke disappeared just as fast as it came and all that remained was Gabriel Reyes. His dark green jacket was a little disheveled and his beanie was tilted slightly to the side. Dark particles danced around the outline of his being as he had his hands in his pockets along with a frown on his face. His red eyes were replaced with brown ones as he blinked a few times and as he did so, he took a few steps towards Cinders kneeling form and got down to her level. Gabriel raised her chin up so that she could look at him and see everything, his past, his experience, and his desire for her to be erased from existence.**

"Scary." Ruby squeaked as she clung onto Yang who patted her sisters back trying to calm her sister down. If she was honest with herself Yang was also terrified of what she was seeing but kept it in. The others were also shaking in fear, the idea that someone could turn into shadow was honestly a terrifying thought.

 **"That was a warning, Fall bitch." Gabriel growled as he could see her surprised eyes morph into fury. "If you don't want their lungs to collapse in on themselves, I suggest that you three leave and forget that this ever happened." Cinder darted her head towards her henchmen and could see Gabriel's smoke had lodged itself through their noses and mouths. She looked back to Gabriel who was dissatisfied at her confusion and decided to speed up the process. The choking escalated from Mercury and Emerald, and Cinder could feel the fear radiate off the two of them. She knew if this endeavor continued any further, the Grimm would come in droves.**

"Who do you think would win, Gabe or these Grimm?" Olivia asked her teammates.

"Reaper/Reaper/Gabriel." Akande, Amelie and Moira said respectively.

 **Cinder said nothing. Instead, she nodded her head. Gabriel let out a slight grumble at her reluctance but released Emerald and Mercury from their restraints anyway. The two gasped and heaved as they felt the sweet sensation of oxygen fill their beings once more. Without any moment of rest, Gabriel folded his arms and flexed his smoke outwards in an intimidating manner.**

"Is he always so…"

"Emo?" Olivia suggested.

"Boasting?" Amelie muttered loudly.

"Foolish?" Moira continued.

"Idiotic?" Akande pitched in.

"Intimidating." Weiss finished her answer earning a few chuckles from the members of Talon.

"He tries his best." Olivia answered earning a look of indignation, how did his mask portray his emotions, from Gabe.

 **"Leave. Now." he growled as the three of them were subjected to his eyes that resembled the creatures of Grimm. Mercury helped Emerald to her feet and Cinder got up on her volition. The three of them looked at him for a few moments before they turned to the forest and set off towards the kingdom. Once they disappeared from Gabriel's view, he couldn't help but let out a breath he had no idea he was holding in. "Sweet Oum." he said to himself as he grasped his aching shoulder. "Forgot how much that takes out of me." he winced a bit before he headed back inside his cabin in order to repair the tranquillity that Salem's peons previously destroyed.**

"Tranquillity my a-"  
"Sombra, language." Amelie scolded before she realised what she had said and felt her cheeks darken as her teammates looked at her, amused expressions on their faces.

 _ **Six months later:**_

 **Gabriel Reyes wasn't a paranoid man. Throughout his entire life. There was a philosophy that he held onto with an iron grip. That philosophy was to never let fear get the better of him. If he lived his life in fear, then he wouldn't be living at all. That being said, his philosophy didn't say anything when it came to being on edge.**

"You have a philosophy?" Moira asked in amusement. Gabe wisely didn't answer ignoring the sniggers from his teammates and the looks of confusion from the two teams of Hunters and Huntresses.

 **Ever since the visit of the fall maiden, his views on his life shifted. Salem knew he was still alive, and she knew where he resided. It didn't take a genius to realize that any day, another war could break out while she orchestrated it from the sidelines. At a time, he would have stood against her along with the knowledge that the world they lived in was an unforgiving one. Nevertheless, he would have faced her, but that was a long time ago. In those six months, Gabriel cleared out his cabin along with the garden. His books were stowed away and the only thing to occupy his once Nirvana was his bed in the back corner and the record player that soothed his ears. The silence that comforted him was there when the music didn't suffice his needs and it had never left him as he slumbered through the star filled night.**

"You really need something to spice up that room." Olivia commented and Gabe raised an eyebrow.

"What would you suggest? A piñata?" Gabe asked sarcastically. At the Hacker's thoughtful look the grim reaper of Talon facepalmed.

 **That silence was shattered with the snap of a twig. Gabriel's eyes shot open as he heard the leaves shuffle from all around him. If he were to guess, ten plus foot mobiles were surrounding him from all sides. His eyes relaxed as he did his best not to groan with frustration. As the shuffling grew louder, he wondered who it was.**

 **"Kids couldn't have sent Vale after me." Gabriel whispered to himself as he eyed the latch that resided in the center of his cabin. "Salem likes to take risks but involving herself like that would expose her to some extent." he slowly sat up and rubbed the back of his head while he ignored the smoke that circled around him. A few moments past before he looked down to see that he was clothed in his old combat attire along with his signature beanie. "Well, time to see what this is about." he said as he placed a record on the record player. Once he rigged the generator up along with the record player, he grinned slightly and he didn't even bother to open the latch in the middle of the room as he dissipated into smoke and slipped through the wooden floorboards.**

"Who is Salem?" Moira questioned as she looked at the Huntresses and Hunters who all shrugged. They were also in the dark just like the Talon scientist.

 **#**

 **"Red Bull, do you copy?" Keith called out into his earpiece as he and his squad of White Fang grunts were closing in on the location they were ordered to check on. He honestly thought it was a waste of time and a risk to his team.**

"Not a word." Blake snarled as she looked at Weiss.

' _ **I WASN'T EVEN GOING TO SAY ANYTHING!**_ ' Weiss screamed mentally, the look Blake had given her being the reason she didn't open her mouth.

 **"This is Red Bull," Keith rolled his eyes as he heard the obnoxious and almost angry voice of Adam Taurus break through his communicator. "Have you reached the destination coordinates?"**

 **"Yes sir," Keith did his best not to show any attitude towards his commander. "Just like that woman said. Nothing outstanding at the moment. Just a cabin, there's a generator at the side of it but nothing else and from what we can see, no movement." Keith looked over to half his squad and signalled them to circle around to the back side of the cabin.**

 **"Wah wah." Olivia sung, already knowing the fate of the White Fang grunts. And Gabe, old or not, was still a force to be reckoned with.**

 **"Good. Eliminate anyone you see. We are tying up loose ends. Red Bull out." as soon as Adam disconnected, Keith removed his earpiece and let out a sigh of relief.**

 **"Commander still sounding kinda crazy?" Keith looked to his side to see one of his squad members Drew, with his rifle focused on the cabin. The kid was a rookie, but his heart was in the right place.**

 **"Unfortunately, yes." Keith said as he swatted a fly from one of his wolf ears. "Sounded sociopathic during that last part."**

Blake winced though no one noticed except Amelie, the sniper's eyes easily identifying the wince from the Faunus, a questioning look forming on her face

 **"Was he always like this?" Drew asked as his grip began to slightly shake along with his fox tail. Keith noticed this and wanted to tell him that everything was going to be fine, but he would be lying to the both the kid and himself if he said that. For some reason, he felt his gut gnaw at his being as it practically begged him to flee, but he knew that Adam would have his head if he found out they retreated.**

Blake felt like she should speak up but decided against it. She was already in a bad mood and didn't need to have people's attention on her.

 **"No. Though he started slipping as soon as that bitch of his left." Keith chuckled slightly as he watched his squad get into their positions. "It was quite the day. Never really pegged him for a guy to have a meltdown." Drew looked at him with a hint of disbelief while Keith only gave him a smirk to confirm what he had said. Keith then put his hand out to Drew, silencing any other questions the fox faunus may or may have not had. Keith put his earpiece back on and turned it to the frequency of his team. "This is White Wolf, is everyone in position?"**

 **"Section one, is in position."**

"I bet he's going to die first." Olivia muttered.

 **"Section two, in position."**

"Stop trying to start a bet Sombra." Amelie hissed in annoyance.

 **"Section three, in position."**

"Can't a girl have a little-"

"No."

"Ah screw you, gilipollas."

 **"Section four, in position."**

 **"Then you are clear to engage." the second Keith's orders escaped his lips, all sections of his squad opened fire on the cabin. The bombastic and rapid succession of the dust rounds echoed throughout the entirety of the forest, which caused the local fauna to flee from the monstrous noise that came from the ten men who obliterated their intended target.**

"Anyone else feel sorry for what's gonna happen to these guys?" Ruby asked, earning a few head shakes though most didn't respond.

 **"Cease fire. I repeat, cease fire." Keith ordered into his earpiece and the gunfire immediately ended. The smell of fire dust and phosphorous invaded Keith's enhanced sense of smell which caused him to grin. "C'mon kid," Keith said as he tapped Drew's shoulder, "Let's go check out the damage." Drew hesitated slightly before he nodded and Keith noticed his reluctance. "We got it under control, now c'mon. The body isn't going to confirm itself." a shaky breath escaped Drew before he got up from his position and jogged up to his leader's side.**

"Da na. Da na," Olivia softly sung, "da na, da na, da na, da na, da na, da na, da na na!" Ruby squeaked and hugged the closet person near her. Unfortunately for Weiss, said hug was slowly choking the life out of her.

 **Keith looked to both sides to see that his squad members stayed where they were, though they had their rifles still trained on the house. Keith nodded to the ones he could see, making sure what they did was valued. Once Keith and Drew made it to the entrance of the cabin, they could see that the door was hanging barely on its hinges. The two made their way to the threshold and used the splintered logs as cover. Once Keith gave a nod, Drew stepped in front of the door and kicked it down. Before either could register what had happened, a revving engine could be heard and once the generator turned on, the sound of scratched record came from under the cabin.**

"Surprise motherfuckers!" Olivia crowed with a large smile.

'She's like Yang/me but more psychotic!' Everyone thought.

 _ **Play: Blues Saraceno, "Grave Digger" (it's a good song, listen to it)**_

"Music?" Yang asked.

"It's…" Weiss trailed off, "It's not that bad." Weiss's friends stared at Weiss in shock.

 **"What the?" Keith asked as he followed Drew into the cabin. The room was completely empty besides the destroyed bed that resided all across the room.**

 **"Where is that music coming from?" Drew asked with an anxious tone.**

"Wait for it!"

 **"AAAAAGH!" Keith's ears perked and his head darted back to the door as he heard a scream break through the somber music. Gunfire followed soon after before it was snuffed out.**

"There we go." Olivia muttered.

"And the reaper comes for their souls." Ren muttered softly, eyes slightly wide as he watched the screen.

 **"C'mon kid!" Keith shouted over the gunfire that once more invaded their eardrums. The two White Fang members charged out of the cabin. "All units, the fuck is going on?!" Keith yelled into his earpiece.**

 **"Ambush Sergeant!" one of his men shouted back before the gunfire continued. Keith and Drew looked all around them, only to see a stream of smoke dart and weave through the tree line. Both saw their teammates open fire at the smoke but once the smoke got near their friends, the screams would escalate before being silenced suddenly.**

 **"What is that thing?!" Drew hollered at Keith as they both heard another one of their teammates scream with unadulterated anguish.**

"¡TE ENGAÑAS TODO GONNA MURIERA!" Olivia shouted, the members of Talon nodding in agreement.

 **"Fall back! We're getting out of here!" Keith yelled as he shoved his subordinate towards their intended escape route. "All units, retreat!"**

 **"Sweet Oum! Where is he coming from?!"**

 **"Can't see shit! Can't see shit!"**

 **"For the love of the gods! Get back! GET BACK!"**

 **"AAAAAAAGGHH!"**

 **Keith looked up from his focused position with wide eyes as he heard nothing after the screams had ceased. His eyes softened a few moments later as he looked to Drew, who heard everything as well. There was a fear within Keith's team member that he wished he never had to see again. It was the fear that all of the recruits go through at least once during their time in the White Fang. That fear was sparked by the realization that compared to their adversary, they were nothing but cannon fodder.**

"Why haven't they started running?" Yang asked.

"Fear," everyone looked at Amelie, "they're too afraid to run."

 **"We gotta move." Keith muttered as he made sure his dust rifle was loaded. The two began to sprint through the darkness. Due to their night vision, they didn't have a problem overcoming every natural obstacle that came their way. "White Wolf to Red Bull! Come in!" Keith hissed into his earpiece. There was a consistent line of static that passed through his ear only fueled his anger towards his commander. "ADAM YOU BASTARD! PICK UP THE FUCKING MIC!" the quick pace of their feet against the underbrush and their quick breaths were the only noises that Keith could hear.**

"Wow he is angry." Nora muttered.

"Considering the fact this Adam guy send them on what right now seems like a suicide mission, it's entirely understandable that they would be angry." Weiss said.

 **"Sergeant," Keith couldn't tell whether to celebrate or curse at the dreaded voice that came through his earpiece. "Need I remind you that-" Adam was interrupted by a growl that emitted from Keith.**

 **"You sent us into a suicide mission, you sadistic fuck!" Keith barked back. "Whatever the fucking target was, it knew we were coming. The whole team is torn to shreds and if I make it back alive, I will rip those stupid fucking horns from your head!" Keith ripped his earpiece off and tossed it aside, all while wondering what the look on Adam's face was like.**

"Scratch that, he's really angry." Weiss said, her friends nodding in agreement with Weiss's statement.

 **"You really going to do that?" Drew asked and Keith looked to his side to see the fear driven fox in a somewhat panicked state. Keith let out a sigh and a nod was the only response from him.**

"I would!" Nora sang before she was bopped on the head by Ren.

 **"Was planning on leaving anyway. A friend of mine were thinking of heading towards Vale before going back to Mena- AGGH!" Keith felt his heel flare in pain as he fell to the dirt. He did his best to suppress any tears as he looked down to see a combat knife, imbedded into his heel. He looked up to the trail the had ran through and his eyes widened as he saw a tight stream of smoke rocket right toward him.**

 **"Sergeant!" Drew shouted as he turned back to Keith. The kid was trying to help him to his feet, but Keith shook his head as he shoved Drew aside.**

 **"Go! NOW!" Keith screamed as he readied his rifle. He looked back to see that Drew was frightened beyond belief. It took him a few moments, but a slight grin grew on Keith's faces as he saw Drew nod at his order, before he continued down the path they were going.**

'Comradeship? No…' Gabe thought as he watched the younger grunt run before he sighed. Gabe knew that the version of himself in the story, no matter how old, would kill the kid.

"Yang…cover Ruby's eyes and ears." Hollow ordered and Yang did so, confused at first until she saw what happened next but was to late to protect her sister from what happened next.

 **"Alright you fuck." Keith growled as he aimed his sights on the smoke that was only getting closer. "C'mon." Keith fired off a few rounds in rapid succession, only for the bullets to phase through the smoke. "C'mon." he continued with more prolonged bursts as the smoke picked up speed. "C'MON!" Keith shouted as he held the trigger that unloaded a barrage of dust rounds at his assailant. The gunfire ceased when Keith felt the tearing sensation come from his foot as the smoke overcame him. He could see red eyes pierce through the darkness as the knife trailed up his leg and Keith couldn't even let out a scream as he felt the serrated steel slip across this throat. The warmth of his blood flowed down his neck and the only noises he could make were strangled gurgles as he felt his eyes roll back into the eternal darkness.**

Most of the students struggled to hold back the urge to throw up at what they saw though the Talon operatives were indifferent. They'd all experienced war, death and violence, most of them even committing the deed of killing, no remorse held in their actions.

 **#**

 **Gabriel could feel his cells twist and turn all around him. No matter how many times he let loose, that twinge of pain he felt spread from his spine would always be there; as if it was a friend who was giving him a warm welcome after such a long absence. That feeling soon dissipated as he solidified once more while he pulled his knife from the White Fang's throat.**

 **"No shotguns?" Moira questioned though it was more aimed towards herself then Gabe even though the man in question shrugged.**

 **"White Fang huh?" Gabriel said to himself as he looked down at the corpse that was sprawled across the dirt. That explains the lack of aura. So, they're wrapped around her finger as well? Color me surprised." he chuckled slightly. before he could put the knife back in its sheath, he felt a sudden impact to his side.**

 **"You bastard!" Gabriel heard the cracked voice of a White Fang grunt as he was tackled to the dirt. What neither of them expected was the sudden bluff that they began to tumble down. Gripes and slight cries of pain could be heard from both parties as they continued their departure down the slope and eventually to a level surface.**

"Is he…" Ruby looked at Hollow who slowly nodded. The young Rose hugged Yang who patted the back of her sister's head. Ruby shook her head, trying to not believe what was happening on the screen wasn't real which it wasn't…technically.

"I'm only going to say this once before things move away from the story," Hollow spoke up, attracting everyone's attention, "This isn't a game Ruby Rose. In your line of work, you will have to fight, you will have to kill and watch as others are killed under your command or you yourself under their command." Ruby began to shake.

"It isn't all fun and games." With that, the video began to resume though Ruby was still shaken.

 **Gabriel pushed himself off the crimson grass and only had a few moments to dodge the oncoming strike the grunt made. Gabriel let out a primal growl as he noticed it was his knife in the hands of some faunus. He dodged the telegraphed attacks with ease and noticed his opponent was beyond terrified. He almost gave the kid respect for being so angry. It still didn't change his attitude on the situation at hand.**

 **"Die!" the grunt screamed as he reeled his hand back for a downward strike. Gabriel ceased this opportunity as invaded his personal space and latched his hand around the fox faunus's neck. He then lifted his opponent off the ground while he ignored the struggled gurgles that escaped through his fingers.**

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut and plugged her fingers into her ears, trying to block out the noise from the tv while the others tried to bear it though a few looked sick.

 **The grunt let out one last gurgled cry as he took the knife he had in his right hand and attempted to plunge it into Gabriel's head. He could feel the blade make contact, but the satisfaction on the White Fang's face was replaced with unadulterated fear as smoke began to pour all around them. The faunus could see through the flowing smoke that Gabriel let out a slight chuckle before he snapped the grunt's neck. The smoke returned to Gabriel's head as he took a few steps back only to lean against the tree.**

 _ **Song End**_

No words were said as the people in the room tried to get over what they had just seen. The death, the blood, the bodies. It was all too much for Jaune who threw up, a bucket appearing underneath him.

 **"Too old for this," he said before he winced at the sharp pain in his side. "And way too damn lucky." Gabriel groaned as he clutched the injured area. Despite being physically fine, he could feel his own body eating at him. He knew then and there that he would be in a world of pain the next time he woke up from a well-earned rest.**

"Someone's gotten old." Olivia teased before Gabe bopped her on the head.

 **"Now to get back." he told himself as he brushed the dirt off his jacket. He soon found his beanie as well alongside the slope he tumbled down and he made sure that it wasn't torn any more than it already was. He looked at his surroundings and noticed he was farther from home than he expected. With a short sigh he began the trek back, only to hear sudden gunfire go off in the distance.**

"Those gunshots sound…familiar." Ren said. They sounded like shots from Pyrrha's rifle, Blake's pistol and Yang's shotguns though mainly Yang's shotguns. The other's felt their eyes widen in shock as they all recognised the gunshots and began to ponder what was going on.

 **"Hm?" Gabriel said as he turned toward the direction of the noise. The gunfire only grew louder with each second that passed by and what peaked his curiosity was that it wasn't the traditional noise of dust rounds that filled his ears. The gunshots he heard were far more aggressive. "Shotguns." He surmised as he reminisced in the sweet, nostalgic sound that he didn't realize he missed so much. With intrigue, he chose to go in the opposite direction of his home.**

"Shotguns?" Yang asked Gabe who simply raised his shotguns as an answer.

'Please don't let there be two of them.' Yang's friends thought in fear.

 **During the trip towards the sudden, but rapid booms of gunfire, he could also hear outbursts from multiple parties. "Three to four girls." he said. Gabriel rose an eyebrow at the new voice that cracked throughout the entirety of the Forever Fall and a chill ran down him as he remembered the countless voices that plagued his entire being who sounded just like that. He almost lost track of where he was going due to the sudden gasp he made at the scenery before him. He had forgotten about the God forsaken place that his eyes laid upon. The enormous pit of tar contrasted horribly with the crimson grass that outlined it. For a moment, he believed that he had forgotten this place. Gabriel could see a thirty-foot cliffside that resided at the opposite end of where he was. This place nearly mesmerized him before he realized that the screams he heard were closer than he expected. He took cover by a nearby tree and noticed that the screams ceased at the top of the cliff.**

"Where is this?" Pyrrha questioned her friends who all shrugged. They also didn't recognise the area in which Gabe was looking at.

 **"What the?" Gabriel asked as he looked behind his cover and saw something that genuinely sparked confusion within his being. A kid was face down as he looked down with one arm hanging off the cliffside. Blood caked his blonde hair and his sapphire eyes were filled with fear. The same fear he witnessed when he attacked the White Fang. That fear was laced with confusion as Gabriel could see the kid's rapid breathing. Before he could do anything more, Gabriel saw the boy be turned upward, towards his assailants.**

"JAUNE?!" Pyrrha shrieked in shock. Nora and Ren were openly gaping in shock while team RWBY was trying to figure out what was going on. Jaune was having a panic attack.

 **"Huntresses?" he asked himself as he witnessed one of them punch the kid in the face. "Probably students if that rage is anything to go off of." Gabriel winced slightly as the blonde brawler slammed her fist once more into the kid. He looked to the others could barely make out what they looked like. The only things that stood out to him was that one of them had scarlet hair, and even from where he was, he could there was a conflict building up within her being.**

"YANG?! PYRRHA?!" Weiss shrieked, shocked to see the two injuring Jaune of all people

B **efore the blonde huntress could lay down another barrage of punches on the poor bastard, the sound of one of them broke through and caused her to stop. Gabriel could see that the redhead who was using her scroll break into a panic.**

 **"We have to go back! Ren and Nora are being overwhelmed!"**

 **"What do we do with him?" he couldn't see where the other voice came from, but nevertheless, the conversation interested the old man.**

 **"We have to leave him." the redhead said. Gabriel could hear her voice quiver a bit.**

 **"What if he escapes?" Gabriel felt a sense of dread in the air as he looked to the blonde huntress and noticed her narrow eyes were filled with malicious intent.**

"Stop," Everyone looked at Pyrrha who was shaking, tears dripping down her face as she looked at Hollow, "Please…just stop!" The Author and Huntress stared at each other, no one willing to break the stare down.

"No." Pyrrha leapt at Hollow and began to beat her fists against his chest.

"WHY WON'T YOU STOP?!" Pyrrha cried, tears freely falling down her face. Hollow remained impassive before he grabbed Pyrrha's arms.

"Because this is something you need to see." The Author answered before he made Pyrrha face the screen.

 **"He won't." the blonde brawler said as a cocking noised could be heard throughout the area.**

 ***CRACK!***

No one made a noise, only flinched as the sound of a bone being broken echoed through the room. Pyrrha hugged Jaune, softly crying into his shoulder while Jaune tried to keep his cool which was difficult.

 **"AAAAAGGGGGHH!" the kid's pierced the silence and was filled with untold agony and anguish.**

 ***CRACK!***

The members of Team RWBY and JNPR flinched again while the members of Talon looked at each other, worried expressions on their faces. Killers and terrorists they may be, they didn't want kids to grow up experiencing death and war.

 **"GAAAAAHHHH!" the kid let out another scream as his other leg was shattered. Gabriel looked away as he heard the noise of the kid's legs being smashed. What sent a shiver through him was the chocked sob that followed soon after.**

 **"YANG!" the redhead screeched which confused Gabriel to an extent. He could from where he was that there were tears in her eyes and she was inches away from her weapons.**

 **"He won't be going anywhere now." the one known now to Gabriel as Yang said.**

'I'm going to guess they've broken multiple bones in the boy's body, injured him to a state where he may not be able to heal…but not injured enough for him to die.' Moira thought before she looked at Jaune, a calm façade masking her face. However deep inside her body she felt…pity. From what she'd analysed of the eight teens they were all close friends. If that was the case in the story then this would emotionally and mentally traumatise Jaune.

 **"It doesn't matter," one of the calmer voices said. "As you said, Ren and Nora need help. We need to go." Gabriel could see that the red and bronze themed girl was being torn apart as she looked at the kids gasping form. He wondered why tears fell from her face as she turned her back to the blonde huntsman.**

Jaune and Pyrrha didn't look at each other, the former slapping himself in hopes he would wake up and what he had just seen was a dream. The latter was staring at her hands as if the blood of the innocent covered them which they technically were. Ren and Nora looked at each other with worry before they glanced at their teammates and friends.

 **Gabriel stayed where he was for another five minutes. The only noises to occupy his ears were the soft gasps that came from the kid. Every once and a while he would hear a choked cry come from him and it was in those moments where he debated whether to investigate. With a breath, he was about to go up to the kid, but was stopped by the sudden rustles that came from above him. He decided to lie in wait before he made any moves.**

 **"Quite the tragedy isn't it?" Gabriel could feel his cells flare at the despicable voice that he hadn't heard in six months. He peeked around the tree he hid behind and looked up to only confirm his suspicions.**

Akande's eyes narrowed at hearing the voice.

"Who is she?" The giant of a man asked Hollow.

"The biggest bitch in the entire universe."

 **"What is she doing?" he asked himself as he saw Cinder stand over the kids form. That smirk of hers never left her face. Her peons were there as well, along with another girl he had never seen though wouldn't forget due to her Neopolitan color scheme. The original three he had met before all had something to say to the kid, but he could barely make it out. He decided to get closer as he drifted out of his cover and towards the cliff.**

"That smoke form is useful." Weiss said, trying to make conversation though when she received a glare of annoyance from the man who could use said ability, the Schnee shut her mouth.

 **"You know what the best part is?" Gabriel could hear Cinder ask to the blonde kid's gasping form. "No one will remember you." Gabriel had to hold himself back as Cinder kicked the kid's limp form into the pit below. Gabriel could see that the fear was only growing as the blonde's broken form plummeted to the tar. There was no splash as he plunged head first into the death that awaited him.**

"KILL!" Nora hissed loudly, her friends on both team JNPR and RWBY nodding in agreement as they had now somewhat, gotten over what they had seen earlier.

'So, despite what they've seen they're staying as friends,' Hollow thought as he looked at the two teams and smiled, 'that's good. It's certainly better then last time.'

 **"** ** _Oum almighty._** **" Gabriel whispered as he could feel the smoke swirl at a steady pace. He remembered far too well how that felt.**

"So, in this universe," Olivia began as she pointed at the screen, going along with what she had just heard, "you must've gained your powers by falling into that lake." Gabe nodded, a frown on his masked face.

 **"Let's go." He heard Cinder say as she turned her back to the cliff. Once he couldn't hear their footsteps, he decided to appear form out of his cover and head towards the edge of the pit. There was stillness that almost disturbed the older man, yet he remained stoic.**

 **"Don't really know what to say." Gabriel said as he looked at his reflection in the pit. His withered, tan skin drooped slightly as grey fringes were along the outlines of his mustache and stubble. His eyes held sympathy towards the boy he never knew who died the second he touched the volatile substance that bubbled slightly.**

"This can't be the end!" Pyrrha muttered as she hugged Jaune's arm.

'The you in that universe wished it was.' Hollow thought sadly.

 **"Wait, what?" Gabriel said out loud as he noticed that the bubbles that came from the tar were coming at a consistent pace. The tar swished slightly until it almost swirled at an intense speed. Before Gabriel could say or do anything, he saw a hand erupt from the edge of the pit, only a few feet from where he was.**

 **"Holy shit!" Gabriel exclaimed as he rushed to the hand that was clawing at the dirt. Gabriel's smoke brimmed slightly as he touched the kid's hand along with the tar that remained insistent on keeping the kid within its murky form. Gabriel gritted his teeth as he ignored it as he heaved the rest of him out from the pit. Coughing could be heard from the kid as Gabriel let out a few tired breaths. He looked over to the blonde and guessed he had to be a huntsman or a student in the middle of becoming one due to the slightly dissolved armor and the peculiar sword that still clung to his side. Despite the tar that dissolved most of his clothes and armor, the sword remained pristine given the condition.**

Everyone, sans Hollow, gaped in shock at what they were seeing. Jaune, who had only a few minutes earlier had been beaten, bones broken and injured enough to be placed in the hospital for a year, had erupted from the tar lake, healed…to some degree.

 **"Why are there huntsmen all the way out here?" Gabriel asked to himself as he tried to catch his breath. He closed his eyes and thought about everything that had happened. "What the fuck is going on?"**

 **"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGH!" Gabriel's eyes shot open as the blonde erupted from his still form and belted out a scream laced in agony. Gabriel knew that the noise would only attract the unwanted kind of attention and decided to silence the kid's screaming.**

"So Jaune's a screamer?" Yang asked innocently. It took two seconds for the actual meaning of what Yang said to get into everyone's heads.

"YAAANNNNGGGGGG!" Ruby shouted as she covered her ears, Blake face palmed while Weiss banged her head against the wall though there were smiles, some happy that someone had tried to lift the gloomy atmosphere.

 **"Kid!" Gabriel started as he tore off a piece of his jacket. "Kid! Dammit you gotta quiet down!" Gabriel took the rag and tried to place it in the screaming blonde's mouth, only for his cheeks to dissipate into smoke. Gabriel's eyes widened to almost inhuman lengths as he witnessed this.**

"HOLY OUM WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!" Jaune shrieked as he saw what happened to his cheeks before he vomited again.

 **"PYRRHA!" the kid screamed through his damaged mouth as the smoke around him began to escalate. "PYRRHA!" the smoke soon engulfed the blonde along with his screams and after a few moments, the smoke cleared, leaving an unconscious, half naked kid at Gabriel's feet.**

 **"What the fuck?" Gabriel said as he noticed that the kid began to degenerate, only for the smoke to appear once more to restore his former appearance. It had been twenty-seven years since Gabriel was left speechless, and being a witness to this kid was the moment to break that record.**

Olivia pouted at not being the one to have left Gabe speechless. She had tried so many things even putting wasabi in chocolate and that hadn't even worked.

 **#**

 **It took him longer than expected to get back to his damaged home, but it didn't stop him from making his way past his cabin to a metal hatch he had hidden amongst the flora. He set the blonde down to the side for a few moments before he opened the iron hatch. It took him another five minutes to set him down on one of the spare beds he had in his emergency safehouse and another three to find the scroll he had stashed away. Once he found what he was looking for along with the contact he needed, he pressed the call button without hesitation as he knew he would need help for what came next.**

"I wonder who he's calling?" Amelie muttered to herself as she took another sip of her wine before placing the now empty glass down.

 **"Hello?" he smiled slightly to himself as he heard the familiar voice that came through his scroll.**

 **"Moira, It's Gabe." Gabriel could hear nothing as he waited for a response, he removed the scroll form his ear in order to check if the call had ended. When he put it back to his ear, he only greeted with more silence.**

"Que?! SHE GETS AN APPEARANCE BEFORE ME?!" Olivia shrieked, glaring at the smirk on Moira's face.

 **"What do you want?" the sudden but somewhat aggressive voice of his old friend broke through the static which caused Gabriel to chuckle.**

 **"Can't an old friend say hi?" he asked, though he knew that wherever she was, she was giving him a blank stare. "I need to cash in on that favor you owe me." he said soon after.**

Said people looked at each other and chuckled.

 **"I'm preoccupied at the moment," Moira said and Gabriel rolled his eyes. He put the scroll on speaker and accessed the camera feature as he made his way over to the kid he picked up in the forest. "That and I am at a key point in my research. You would be surprised with the potential benefits that Grimm have towards humanity." once Gabriel finished recording the boy's lying form, he downloaded the video and sent it to his colleague with a smirk on his face.**

 **"What's this you sent me Gabriel?" she soon asked with suspicion and he let out a short laugh.**

"Grimm being useful towards humanity?" Weiss muttered. She honestly couldn't see it. However she did see the eager look in Moira's eyes and shuddered.

 **"Another property of Grimm to add to the list." he replied. The silence returned as he knew she was watching the video he sent her.**

 **"Where did you get this." she asked with a hint of urgency.**

"Protect me." Jaune squeaked as he noticed the somewhat hidden but still noticeable, eager look in the Irish doctor's eyes.

 **"Just filmed it in my safehouse." he said as he looked back to the kid. "Found him climbing out of one of the pools in the Forever Fall. Decided I should consult you considering your experience." He said which only resulted in another fit of silence. "Moira? He asked, wondering if she had hung up on him.**

 **"Give me two days." she told him. "Considering you are calling me on this number, I'd assume you don't want anyone else to know about this?"**

"How about never!" Jaune said.

"That isn't even your body." Moira replied calmly.

"NOPE NEVER!"

 **"That's right." he said as his grin never left his face.**

 **"I will also need the right equipment. I assume you have connections to make it so?" she asked.**

 **"Of course. Will take about the same amount of time."**

 **"Good. Same spot as before?"**

 **"You know it."**

 **"Very well." Moira finished. "See you then Gabriel." She hung up the moment he put his scroll down on a nearby table and in those moments, he decided to sit down in a nearby chair which was next to the bed the kid was laying in. Gabriel noticed that his breathing was normal, but a look of discomfort would come every time the smoke came to regenerate his drooped cells.**

"Like mine." Gabe muttered. When Moira had experimented on him Gabe had felt the same thing, every time he turned to smoke he felt pain. Overtime he was able to tune it out and ignore it.

 **"Glad I found you kid." Gabriel said as he continued to stare at the blonde. He was caught off guard as the kid began to sputter, though still unconscious.**

 **"P…rha." the blonde said. "Pyrrha." Gabriel raised an eyebrow at this name. He assumed it was one of the people that attacked him at the top of the cliff. Gabriel's eyebrow remained raised as a look of anger overcame the blonde's unconscious form and a growl escaped his lips. "I'll kill you."**

The group was silent before Hollow sighed.

"Go rest, sleep eat whatever you need to do to relax." Hollow said as he pointed to an open door. One by one people began to walk out of the room and Hollow walked to the tv to turn it off. Once he had done so he had turned around and raised an eyebrow when he saw Ruby looking at him.

"Is this…"

"Relevant?" Ruby nodded and Hollow sighed.

"Yeah...I guess you could say that." Hollow said as he ruffled Ruby's hair and led her to the kitchen before looking at the readers and winked.


End file.
